Route-indicator.



B. O. RHODES.

ROUTE INDICATOR. I

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15, 19,09.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERT O. RHODES, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO JAY B. RHODES, OF

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

ROUTE-INDICATOR.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT O. RHoDns, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county, State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Route-Indicators,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in route indicators.

My present invention is a modification of, and, in some respects, animprovement upon the structure illustrated in my application for LettersPatent filed October 12, 1908, Serial No. 457,340.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide a combinationodometer and guide device or route director. Second, to provide a guidedevice or route indicator for use in vehicles by which the route to agiven place may be accurately laid out and the directions given to aproper place. Third, to provide an improved route director for movingvehicles by which the name of a place to which the vehicle is passing isdisplayed. Fourth, to provide an improved route director for movingvehicles by which a signal is given at predetermined intervals toattract the attention .of the driver.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a structure embodying the features of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, the driving shaft beingshown in detail. Fig.

8 is an enlarged detail horizontal section,

taken on a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection, taken on a line corresponding to line H of Fig. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail taken on a line corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig.6 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable contact members. Fig. 7is a perspective view of the number wheel removed from the casing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 15, 1909.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 483,446.

In the drawing, similar reference characters refer to similar partsthroughoutthe several views, and the sectional views are taken lookingin the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, the casing l of the structure illustrated isprovided with a. bracket 2 by which it is secured to a suitable support3, as the dash of a motor ve hicle. The casing 1 is provided wit-h aremovable end 4:, which is adapted to be removed to permit the removalof the number wheel 5. The number wheel is provided at one end with aseries of numerals, and has peripheral grooves 6 alined with thenumerals, the grooves being adapted to receive the character blocks 7 bymeans of which a place or a direction may be indicated to designate theroute or the particular place in which the vehicle may be.

The number wheel shown in Fig. 7 illustrates the assembling of the routeindicia in combination with the distance numerals of the number wheel.With the route as the-re laid out, the driver of the vehicle is directedto turn to the north when the odometer registers two miles; the vehicleis passing through Mendon when it registers four; a turn should be madeto the east when it registers five; the vehicle is passing throughClimax when it registers six; a turn to the southwest should be madewhen it registers eight; the vehicle is passing through Parker when itregisters nine; a turn to the west should be made when it registers ten;and the vehicle is passing through Boyne when the odometer registerseleven.

The route is laid out from any starting point, it being intended withthe embodiment of my inventions here illustrated that a plurality ofcylinders shall be provided if a route or course should cover moreterritory than is possible to lay out on one cylinder.

To call the attention of the driver to the fact that a turn should bemade, or that a point indicated in the route has been reached, I providea signal which is automaticallyactuated through the odometer. This, inthe structure illustrated, consists of a plurality of contact members 8,which are adapted to be inserted into the ends of the grooves or holders6. As the number wheel is revolved, these contact members engage thefixed contact member 9, which is mounted on the casing-see Fig. 5,and isconnected to the bell 10 by the wires 11 and 12. The contact members 8are adjusted according to the route indicia, so that the signal is givenonly in connection with the same.

The number wheel is suitably driven as through the shaft 13, adapted tobe connected to one of the vehicle wheels. As these connections arecommon with odometers I do not illustrate the same herein. The shaft 13is connected to the number wheel by providing the number wheel with aninternal gear 14:, which is connected to the pinion 15 on the shaft bythe means of the intermediate pinion 16, the bearing 17 of which ismounted on the casing. The number wheel is provided with a bearing 18 atone end to receive the end of the driving shaft which forms a supporttherefor and with a journal 19 at the other end which is supported by abearing 20 in the removable end t of the casing.

To provide means for disconnecting the number wheel from the drivingshaft, the driving shaft is preferably made up of sections, the sectionsbeing connected by clutch members 21 and 22, the member 21 being fixedto one section and the member being slidably mounted on the othersection and provided with bayonet joint slot to engage the pin 24 sothat the member 21 can be locked out of. its engaging position. Thespring 25 holds it in its engaging position when it is released from thepin. The disconnecting of the odometer is of advantage where some sidetrip is made from the regular route laid out.

My improved route director provides a means for laying out any desiredcourse or route.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a simple form, whichis, at the same time, satisfactory. I am, however, aware that it can begreatly varied in structural detail without departing from my invention,and I desire to be understood as claiming the same specifically asillustrated, as well as broadly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an odometer having distance indicia, ofdirection and place indicia each adjustably associated with saiddistance indicia, whereby different combinations of distance anddirection and distance and place indicia may be had to indicate coursesor routes.

2. The combination with an odometer having distance indicia, ofdirection indicia adjustably associated with said distance indicia,whereby difierent combinations of distance and direction indicia may beprovided to indicate courses or routes.

3. The combination of distance indicating means comprising distanceindicia, and

route indicia adjustably associated therewith to provide differentseries of route directions, and means for successively displaying thesame.

4. The combination of an odometer having distance indicia and a routeindicating means comprising direction and place indicia adj ustablyassociated with said distance indicia so that different combinations ofdistance and direction or direction and place may be had to indicatedifferent courses or routes, the said indicia being arranged to besuccessively displayed as the odometer is operated, a signal, arelatively fixed signal member, and a series of coacting signal membersadjustably associated with said indicia so that they may be disposed tosuccessively coact with said first mentioned signal member.

5. The combination of an odometer comprising a driven member havingdistance indicia thereon, route indicia adjustably associated with saiddistance indicia, whereby dillerentcourses or routes may be indicated,an electrically actuated signal comprising a relatively fixed contactmember, and a series of adjustable contact members adapted to bearranged on said driven member to correspond to the arrangement of theroute indicia, for the purpose specified.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a numberwheel having a series of peripheral grooves alined with the numerals ofthe wheel, route indicia blocks adapted to be inserted in said groovesin said number wheel, a series of contact blocks adapted to be insertedin said grooves, a fixed contact member adapted to successively engagesaid blocks as said number wheel is revolved, and anelectrically-operated signal connected to said contacts.

7. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a numberwheel having a series of peripheral grooves alined with the numerals ofthe wheel, and route indiea blocks adapted to be inserted in saidgrooves in said number wheel.

8. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a numberwheel, route indiea adapted to be adjustably arranged on said numberwheel, a series of contact members adjustably mounted on said numberwheel, a fixed contact member adapted to successively engage the contactmember of said series, as said number wheel is revolved, and anelectrically-operated signal connected to said contacts.

9. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a numberwheel, of place and direction indicia. adjustably arranged on saidnumber wheel, whereby different combinations of distance and place anddirection may be had.

10. In a structure of the class described, the combination with anodometer comprising a number wheel, of a signal; a plurality of contactmembers adjustably connected to said number wheel; a fixed contactmember adapted to successively engage said number wheel contact membersas said number wheel is revolved; and direction and place indiciaadjustably associated with said number wheel whereby differentcombinations of distance and place and direction may be had.

11. The combination of an odometer comprising a driven member havingdistance indicia and route indicia adjustably associated therewith toprovide diflerent series of route directions; means for successivelydisplaying the same, a signal, a relatively fixed signal member, andcoacting signal members adjustably associated with said route indicia sothat they may be adjusted to coact successively with said firstmentioned signal member.

1.2. In an odometer, the combination of a driven member, a series ofroute indicia carried thereby said route indicia being adjustable toprovide different series of route directions adapted to be successivelydisplayed, a signal, a relatively fixed signal member, and a series ofcoacting signal members adjustably arranged on said driven member sothat they may be disposed to successively coact with said firstmentioned signal member as the route indicia are successively displayed.

18. The combination with an odometer comprising a driven member, aseries of route indicia adjustably associated with said driven member toprovide different series of route directions, a signal, a relativelyfixed signal member, and a series of coacting signal members adjustablyarranged on said driven member so that they may be arranged to coactsuccessively with said first mentioned signal member as the routeindicia are successively displayed.

14:. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a drivenindicia member, a signal, a relatively fixed signal member, and a seriesof signal members adjustably disposed on said indicia member, saidindicia member being provided with holders for said signal membersdisposed so that the signal members may be arranged in alinement withsaid indicia to coact successively with said first mentioned signalmember as said indicia member is driven.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wheelhaving distance indicia thereon, route indicia associated with saiddistance indicia to provide a series of successively displayed routedirections, a signal, a relatively fixed signal member, and a series ofcoacting si nal members adjustably arranged on said Wheel, said wheelbeing provided with locating portions for said signal members inalinement with the distance indicia of said wheel so that said signalmembers may be disposed to eoact successively with said relatively fixedsignal members as the route directions are successively displayed.

16. The combination with an odometer comprising a driven member havingdistance indicia thereon, direction indicia associated with saiddistance indicia, said direction indicia being adjustably disposed onsaid driven member to provide difi erent series of route directions,said route directions being adapted to be successively displayed, asignal, a relatively fixed signal member, and coacting signal membersassociated with said route indicia, said last mentioned signal membersbeing adapted to be adjustably disposed on said driven member to coaetwith said relatively fixed signal member as the successive route indiciaof the different series are displayed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two witnesses.

CLARA E. BRADEN, FRANoEs GERTRUDE TALLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

